Latest Dunkettle Interchange upgrade opens to the public 

The latest upgrade to the Dunkettle Interchange was opened on Wednesday morning, September 14 after the Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) completed work on the link on Tuesday evening.

The new road on the interchange will connect the Jack Lynch Tunnel with the M8 to Dublin, which should reduce journey times and congestion around Dunkettle.

The new link will branch off the exit of the tunnel, with the option to turn right to head through the interchange before merging with traffic approaching from the left-hand side (the N40).

The new section follows the opening of six new link roads in early July after a €215m overhaul of the Dunkettle Interchange.

Works had been ongoing on the interchange for more than 18 months.

“It is another step in the right direction,” said Fianna Fáil TD Padraig O’Sullivan. “I appreciate that people have been patient and people have been frustrated by the works. We are getting there. The project is well ahead of schedule.

“The next section being opened will make it more accessible for people to navigate and there will be less diversions. 

"Hopefully before Christmas the majority of the major works will be completed,” he added.

Green Party councillor Oliver Moran however claimed that the upgrade at Dunkettle cost the same as an upgrade to the whole of the Cork commuter rail network. “The upgrade of the interchange at Dunkettle to be free flowing without traffic lights cost the same as it will to upgrade the whole of the Cork commuter rail network, from Mallow to Cobh and Midleton, to ten-minute frequency trains with new stations at Blackpool and Blarney.” 

Cllr Moran said there remains an imbalance in the transport system. 

“The research published on Tuesday, (September 13) by Cork City Council points to road transport accounting for nearly a third of all climate changing emissions in the city.

"The South Ring and the Dunkettle are identified in that report as being clearly visible on the map of carbon emissions from the city.

"Every time I pass through the upgraded Dunkettle, I'm reminded of the great imbalance and skewing of priorities in transport, and how much that has to change from moving people around in private motor cars to fast and reliable public transport wherever you are in the country,” he added.